Albee Therese S. Ongsuco, B.S.Laura M. Anderson, Ph.D.

Contributor: Craig Becker, Ph.D.

Research Project Collaboration with Health Promotion

Department Principal Investigator’s placement Target Audience Perfect match?

Research Questions:

• This study investigates the following questions: Question 1. What does the salutogenic profile

(average scores across the seven domains) look like for Medicaid Lower/SES families (African American, poor rural Caucasians, and Latinos)?

Question 2. What is the relationship between overall parent wellness and child BMI?

Question 3. What is the relationship between overall parent wellness and child school attendance?

Materials • Parent Informed Consent Form• Demographic Questionnaire• Salutogenic Wellness Promotion Scale• Child BMI slips• Consent and Child Attendance Form• Thank You Note and Incentive Enclosure NOTE: All materials were available in

both Spanish and English except for the child BMI slips.

• Salutogenesis – A framework from which to investigate associated factors and precursors of good or positive health instead of factors which focus on ill health or pathogenesis.

Parent Health Practices• The Salutogenic Wellness Promotion Scale (SWPS; Becker,

2007; Spanish: Becker & Anderson, 2008) measures perceived health from the parent’s perspective in seven domains of life. The SWPS is designed to give parents insight to their strengths and areas needing improvement.

Child Health Outcomes• Body Mass Index (BMI) – This is reported as the ratio of

weight (kg) divided by height squared (m2).• Attendance – This is reported as the percentage of the

number of absences in the current year over the current number of days of school (attendance = # of absences/Nth day of school).

Procedures• The researchers were stationed in the waiting room of the Pitt County

Memorial Hospital Pediatric Outpatient Clinic.• After parents checked in with the front desk, they were approached

by the primary investigator, the co-investigator, or an undergraduate assistant and offered the opportunity and incentive to participate.

• The researchers briefly reviewed the consent form with the parent. The parent could complete the packet during the entire clinic visit (i.e., in the waiting room and when called to the examination room). Child BMI was gathered at the clinic by the nurses. To obtain attendance data, the research team faxed the schools reported by the parents and obtained the child’s information.

• Upon completion, address information was taken from the parent so that a $15 Wal-Mart gift card could be mailed to them at a later date.

Descriptive DataParticipants:African American= 22Caucasian = 12Latino = 14Other= 2 (excluded given current sample)BMI Data of Children:Mean = 82.9 percentileSchool Attendance Data of Children:Mean = 0.057 days missed/Nth day of

school

FINDINGS:Research Question 1: See following slides

Research Question 2:Correlations between BMI percentile and domains in the SWPS were not significant.

Research Question 3: Correlations between school attendance and domains in the SWPS were not significant.

The social dimension (4 items) queries how often a person communicates with other, meets new people, has pleasant interactions, and shows affection.

Results Mean of all parents = 4.43 Mean for Latino families = 4.4 Mean for African Americans = 4.4 Mean for rural Caucasians = 4.5

The spiritual dimension (3 items) queries about prayer, religious activities, and consulting a higher power.

Results Mean of all parents = 3.5 Mean for Latino families = 3.5 Mean for African Americans = 3.7 Mean for rural Caucasians = 3.3

The intellectual dimension (4 items) assesses efforts to improve writing skills, verbal skills, time engaged in extended thought, and frequency of reading.

Results Mean of all parents = 3.4 Mean for Latino families = 3.4 Mean for African Americans = 3.3 Mean for rural Caucasians = 3.7

The vocational dimension (4 items) assesses whether work contributes to positive well-being if the participant perceived work to be satisfying, inspirational, enjoyable, and important.

Results Mean of all parents = 4.0 Mean for Latino families = 4.7 Mean for African Americans = 3.9 Mean for rural Caucasians = 3.8

The environmental dimension (3 items) asks how often action was taken to protect the environment, support pro-environmental political efforts, and recycle.

Results Mean of all parents = 3.5 Mean for Latino families = 4.0 Mean for African Americans = 3.4 Mean for rural Caucasians = 3.2

The physical dimension (4 items) asks about sports, physical activity, and nutritional practices.

Results Mean of all parents = 3.3 Mean for Latino families = 3.7 Mean for African Americans = 3.3 Mean for rural Caucasians = 3.0

The emotional domain (4 items) asks participants perceptions of life management, coping skills, ability to manage life well, and ability to create opportunities from difficulties.

Results Mean of all parents = 3.6 Mean for Latino families = 4.0 Mean for African Americans = 3.5 Mean for rural Caucasians = 3.4

Results Mean of all parents = 3.7 Mean for Latino families = 4.0 Mean for African Americans = 3.6 Mean for rural Caucasians = 3.5

BMI percentile indicates that minority children have unhealthy weight

Attendance ratio indicates that minority have problems attending school

Are parents’ scores valid? Social desirability

Small sample size BMI reliability based on measurement

by nurses Comprehension of items Scale validity Still very new Was it a perfect match?

Pediatric Outpatient Clinic Student completing research project Clipboard Professional Clothing Time of day Duration of project Emphasis on incentive Numbers Language Barriers

Incentive matched to community’s needs

Bilingual psychologist who provided Spanish and English materials

Collaboration of nurses and other professionals for the project to take place

Prize for nurses and front desk staff Interdisciplinary project

Internal validity External validity Face validity

Health reduction in schools is a system reform that is a multi-faceted, long-term process

School psychologists have access to proximal variables associated with improved health outcomes for those experiencing health disparities

Proximal variables include increasing the “reserve capacity” of optimism to ameliorate detrimental health effects

What are some examples of proximal variables that school psychologists have access to? Increasing the quality of instruction within

the classroom environmentGaining insight into school’s and home’s

regularity and predictability of daily routines

Empowering parents by facilitating positive competencies within parents and improving the home environment

Parents engage in different healthy behaviors

Researchers need to engage participants in order to have stronger involvement

Researchers can extend time in the community to collaborate with other health professionals